Ed Sheeran is set to become the latest musical artist to feature on the front of Barcelona shirts when the Liga giants take in a Clasico clash with old adversaries Real Madrid. That rivalry is set to be rekindled on October 26, with Sheeran – who recently released his new album ‘Play’ – forming part of the long-term sponsorship agreement that Barca have in place with Spotify.
When will Barcelona return to Camp Nou?
The streaming giants have naming rights for Barcelona’s iconic Camp Nou home. Said venue is currently undergoing an elaborate renovation, with no date being set as yet for an official reopening.
AdvertisementAFPWhere are Barcelona playing their home games?
Barcelona have been playing at the Olympic Stadium that was used for the 1992 Games in Catalunya. It is to that venue that Real Madrid will be welcomed when the Blaugrana seek to extend a run of four successive victories against the Blancos in all competitions.
Play: Sheeran gets Clasico treatment
According to , it has been determined that English singer-songwriter Sheeran will grace the front of Barcelona’s famous shirts. He dropped ‘Play’ on September 12, with the artwork from that album set to be used on Barca tops – with a ninth studio album already being confirmed for 2027.
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GettySheeran's ties to professional football
Sheeran is a big football fan and owns a minority stake in Ipswich Town, the club that he supports. He is a regular at Portman Road and took in Premier League action with the Tractor Boys last season, before seeing them return to the Championship alongside the likes of Birmingham City and Wrexham.
R Smaran, meanwhile, turned a maiden first-class ton into a double as Karnataka ground Punjab into the dust
Shashank Kishore24-Jan-2025Thakur Lords over J&K after Rohit misses out againRohit Sharma briefly caused bursts of excitement among early-morning office-goers in Mumbai’s financial district with a typically attractive start. He hit three sixes and two fours as Mumbai began their second innings against Jammu & Kashmir with a half-century stand between Rohit and Yashasvi Jaiswal. The pair wiped out more than half their 86-run first-innings deficit, before Rohit fell for 28, mistiming a heave to midwicket. The two shots that stood out were a hooked six off Umar Nazir and a flat-bat hit down the ground for six off Auqib Nabi, who eventually dismissed him.Related
Another day, another audacious rescue act by Shardul Thakur
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Thakur on his rescue act: 'I like batting in difficult situations'
Rohit’s dismissal opened the floodgates as Jaiswal, Shreyas Iyer, Ajinkya Rahane and Shivam Dube fell in quick succession. Then, from what was effectively 15 for 7, Mumbai roared back thanks to an outstanding hundred from Shardul Thakur; his unbroken eight-wicket stand of 163 with Tanush Kotian leaves Mumbai with a lead of 188 going into day three.A win for either side will take them a step closer to the playoffs. A loss won’t mean the end of the road either. But J&K have a tougher next opponent in Baroda, who are the current table-toppers, as compared to Mumbai, who play minnows Meghalaya.Ravindra Jadeja picked up 7 for 38 in the second innings to go with 5 for 66 in the first•PTI Jadeja takes 12; Pant endures unhappy Ranji returnFew teams in domestic cricket have used home advantage as well as Saurashtra. They had spoken of the need to get two outright wins in the back-end of the group stage, and had decided that ‘spin to win’ was the way to go at home. Ravindra Jadeja duly unleashed himself on a brittle Delhi batting line-up, and picked up five-wicket hauls in each innings to secure a bonus-point win that vaulted Saurashtra from the bottom half of Group D into third position.Jadeja bettered his first-innings figures of 5 for 66 with 7 for 38 in the second innings after they had taken a first-innings lead of 83. Jadeja’s haul included the wicket of Rishabh Pant, who made 17 to go with 1 off 10 in the first innings. Pant, who began by reverse-sweeping Jadeja for his first boundary, was the second-highest run-scorer for Delhi in their capitulation; they were bowled out for just 94 before Saurashtra knocked off their 12-run target inside three overs to complete a two-day victory.
You know who!#WhistlePodu #RanjiTrophy pic.twitter.com/c7Jj23KnEy
— Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) January 24, 2025
Smaran’s time in the sunLast week, R Smaran, 21, hit a match-winning century in the final of the Vijay Hazare Trophy against Vidarbha. This week, he converted his maiden first-class century into a double to open up a 420-run first-innings lead for Karnataka against Punjab at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.In the first half of the season, Smaran had scored 145 runs in seven innings without a half-century. But the selectors kept faith in him and other youngsters, and phased out a key senior player in Manish Pandey ahead of the white-ball leg of the season. Smaran took Pandey’s position at No. 4, and played an innings that hinted at a bright future.Smaran’s initiation into the Karnataka set-up comes on the back of plenty of runs at the Under-23 level. In 2023-24, he hit 872 runs in the CK Nayudu Trophy, including a match-winning hundred in the final against Uttar Pradesh. He also enjoyed a stellar run at the Maharaja Trophy, the state’s local T20 competition.
for Shardul Thakur
A crucial knock under pressure
The celebrations say it all#RanjiTrophy | @IDFCFIRSTBank
What to look forward to on Saturday He was preparing for a Test debut at this time last year, but Rajat Patidar now finds himself lower down in the pecking order after missing out even on the India A tour of Australia. But a strong back end of the first-class season, and a good IPL, could propel him back. For starters, he will look to covert his unbeaten half-century into a big innings as Madhya Pradesh look to build a sizeable lead after conceding first-innings honours to Kerala in Thiruvananthapuram. In Bengaluru, Shubman Gill will face a stern test against a young Karnataka pace attack after Punjab have been run ragged for nearly two days. Having begun their second innings facing a 420-run deficit, they are 24 for 2. Gill, who was out to an inside-edge to the keeper while attempting a drive off left-arm seamer Abhilash Shetty in the first innings, is batting on 7.
Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis has now personally opened talks with an “incredible” manager to replace Nuno Espirito Santo.
Marinakis searching for Nuno replacements
Marinakis has been left baffled by Nuno’s recent comments about their relationship, with the Portuguese manager saying: “I always had a very good relationship with the owner, last season was very close. This season, not so well. No, it’s not [good].
“I don’t know exactly, but I’m being honest with you. I cannot say that is the same, because it’s not the same. The reason behind it, I don’t know. I always believe that dialogue and what you say or your opinion, is always valid, because my concern is the squad and the season that we have ahead of us, but our relations have changed.”
It is a bizarre situation unfolding at the City Ground, especially considering the Tricky Trees have had a very good summer transfer window, retaining Morgan Gibbs-White and bringing in additional depth ahead of an exciting European campaign.
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However, the relationship between the chairman and the manager has now deteriorated, with Marinakis actively searching for replacements, and talks have been held with a former Premier League boss.
That is according to a report from talkSPORT, which states Marinakis has held direct talks with former Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou, who is keen to return to Premier League management.
The Australian is high on Forest’s wanted list as a replacement for Nuno, as he has a personal relationship with Marinakis, having been pictured together at an awards ceremony in Greece earlier in the summer.
Tottenham Hotspur managerAngePostecogloulooks dejected
Nuno’s poor relationship with Edu is also cited as an issue, as the manager is not in full agreement with the sporting director on issues like the recruitment strategy and playing style, and there is a strong chance the 51-year-old departs after this weekend.
"Incredible" Postecoglou could lead be solid appointment for Forest
It would be extremely disappointing if Nuno’s recent comments lead to him being sacked, given that the Forest boss has overseen a remarkable turnaround at the City Ground, transforming his side from relegation candidates to Champions League-chasers.
However, if the relationship with Marinakis is broken beyond repair, it is difficult to see a way back, and things must be very strained, as Nuno was willing to risk his job by talking about the issues publicly.
That said, there are some signs Postecoglou could be an exciting replacement, given that the 59-year-old received high praise for the work he did at Tottenham.
Not only that, but the ex-Spurs boss led his side to a Europa League triumph last season, and that experience could be very useful, with the Tricky Trees about to embark on a European campaign of their own.
Arsenal have undergone a "significant" board shake-up as executive vice-chairman Tim Lewis leaves the Gunners with Josh Kroenke becoming "increasingly prominent" at the Emirates Stadium. Lewis, who first advised the Kroenke empire back in 2007 before officially joining the Arsenal board in 2020, had become a powerful voice behind the scenes.
Lewis: The Kroenke consigliere
Few figures have been as influential in shaping modern Arsenal as Tim Lewis. A corporate lawyer by trade, he first entered the Gunners’ orbit during Stan Kroenke’s initial investment in 2007, when ITV sold its 9.9% stake. From there, he became a key figure as Kroenke climbed to majority shareholder in 2011 and eventually gained full control in 2018. Over time, Lewis’s remit stretched far beyond legal advice. According to during the COVID-19 crisis, he played a critical role in refinancing the club’s debts and ensuring financial stability. In the cutthroat world of Premier League politics, he became a leading voice in pushing back against state-backed ownership models.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportArteta's ally and transfer master
Lewis was also deeply connected to the footballing side of operations. He developed a close relationship with manager Mikel Arteta, backing him through turbulent early spells and personally negotiating his new three-year contract in 2022. On the transfer front, Lewis was instrumental. His rapport with Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish proved decisive in Arsenal securing the £60m signing of Eberechi Eze last summer. His fingerprints were all over the Gunners’ bold spending strategy, which helped reshape Arteta’s squad into one capable of challenging at the very top.
Josh Kroenke's rising power
At 45, Josh has steadily been building his influence in the Emirates corridors of power. With Lewis now gone, his role is set to become even more dominant. The reshuffle will also see managing director Richard Garlick elevated to CEO, while the board will be bolstered with fresh blood, two more representatives from Kroenke Sports & Entertainment (KSE), a long-term advisor, and a fan favourite in Ben Winston, a Hollywood film producer and lifelong Arsenal supporter.
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Josh thanks Lewis and welcomes Garlick
Josh said: “We are delighted to promote Rich to CEO after an incredibly successful period as Managing Director of Arsenal. Rich has made an enormous impact on all fronts as we continue to strive to win major trophies, be financially sustainable and put our supporters at the heart of everything.
“At this moment, we would like to thank Tim for his continued dedication and commitment to Arsenal in a period of transformational change for the club. He has played a pivotal role and ensured we are in a great position to continue to deliver our strategy in our ambition to win major trophies. In keeping with our desire to always move forward, we will strengthen our Board with some exciting additions who will bring vast experience to the club across a wide range of professions.
“The group know and love Arsenal, and will bring a different skillset and expertise while injecting fresh thinking and energy to support us all to achieve our ambitions.”
Liverpool won the Premier League with relative ease last season, and so FSG’s staggering summer of spending at Anfield must have struck quite the frisson of fear through the rest of the European game.
Though Arne Slot’s side haven’t been at their best across the opening fixtures of the season, they have claimed nine points from nine in the league, winning a tough match at St. James’ Park before narrowly seeing off title rivals Arsenal after Dominik Szoboszlai’s stunning free-kick.
Dominik Szoboszlai scores for Liverpool
The Reds haven’t looked at their most fluent, but new number nine Hugo Ekitike has certainly started in fine fettle, three goals and an assist from his first four games.
Undroppable, right? However, the deadline-day acquisition of Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak maybe stirs the pot a tad up top.
What Isak brings to Liverpool
Liverpool have two of the most dynamic strikers in the game in Isak and Ekitike, but both would fancy themselves at their most fluent and formidable when threatening from the centre.
Isak is the more clinical and refined man, to be sure, but he’s also nearly three years Ekitike’s senior.
Having two high-level centre-forwards isn’t the worst problem for Slot to have, but he is going to need to consider ferrying one out to the left wing or pushing Liverpool toward a tactical transformation.
However, neither have Cody Gakpo’s fluency as a left-sided forward.
And, of course, Liverpool have already sold an elite winger in Luis Diaz who could have been the perfect balancing force in the frontline.
Liverpool may regret selling Luis Diaz
Liverpool sold Diaz to Bayern Munich for £65.5m in July, with the German giants convincing the 28-year-old to join after FSG failed to agree terms on a new contract with the Reds winger.
He arrived from Porto as Jurgen Klopp’s choice of replacement for Sadio Mane, and though he didn’t quite live up to the same stratospheric heights, succeeded all the same.
Indeed, Klopp himself lauded his new arrival as a “top world level player” back in April 2022.
He leaves an integral part of an illustrious period in Liverpool’s history, having scored 17 goals and supplied eight assists across all competitions last term, filling in at centre-forward on multiple occasions.
Though some questioned Diaz’s output, he didn’t do too badly, ranking fourth among all left wingers across Europe’s top five leagues last year for goal contributions, and in what many would describe as the toughest division of the lot.
Raphinha
18
11
Bradley Barcola
14
10
Vinicius Junior
11
10
Luis Diaz
13
7
Vincenzo Grifo
8
11
Given that Isak arrives at Liverpool with a wealth of prolific Premier League experience under his belt, he could have formed an incredible partnership with Diaz, who always balanced his output and ranked among the top 9% of positional peers in the Premier League last season for pass completion, keeping it crisp and opening up a strong supply line with the Sweden star.
The fact that Liverpool’s player sales across the summer has left them with a smaller net spend than Arsenal perhaps underlines the suggestion that Diaz needn’t have been sold.
The emergence of 17-year-old sensation Rio Ngumoha has tempered the Colombian’s departure, but Diaz remains one of the most experienced and dynamic forwards in the business.
Equally, Florian Wirtz’s struggles across his initial foray into the English game are a reminder that Diaz was pretty crucial in Slot’s title-winning team, and he will be missed as the campaign progresses.
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The allrounder could come into contention for the semi-final in Dubai where India have played all their games
Andrew McGlashan02-Mar-20252:06
Should India stick with four spinners for the semi-final?
Cooper Connolly has been called into Australia’s Champions Trophy squad after Matt Short was ruled out through injury as they prepare for what could be a trial by spin in their semi-final against India.Short picked up a quad injury against Afghanistan and would not have had time to recover for the knockout matches.Connolly, the 21-year-old left-hand batter and left-arm spinner, has been a traveling reserve with the squad so will be available immediately. He has played just three ODIs but could come straight into selection consideration given Australia have lost Short’s offspin.Related
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If the selectors opt for a like-for-like switch of opening batters then Jake Fraser-McGurk is the spare batter while if they wanted another specialist spin bowler they could consider rejigging the balance of the attack and including Tanveer Sangha.Fraser-McGurk, who himself was a replacement for Mitchell Marsh, has struggled in his seven ODIs to date with 98 runs at 14.00, looking vulnerable when the new ball moves, but the selectors still see him as a player who can take on the powerplay.If Fraser-McGurk isn’t the route taken by the selectors it will require someone from the middle order moving up to the top to fill Short’s role, potentially the in-form Josh Inglis.Australia learnt their opponents for the semi-final will be India in Dubai on Tuesday when New Zealand were beaten in the final group game.Both Group B sides who qualified – Australia and South Africa – traveled to Dubai so that the team who faced India would have time to prepare. South Africa will now head straight back to Lahore for their semi-final against New Zealand.”We’ve obviously had a bit of a hectic schedule, playing a couple of games in Pakistan, back and forth in between cities, but I think with the nature of this tournament,” legspinner Adam Zampa said.In the selection frame: Cooper Connolly could feature against India•Getty ImagesZampa shapes as a pivotal figure for Australia in the semi-final at a ground that has aided the spinners. Against New Zealand, India used 37.3 overs of spin with Varun Chakravarthy taking 5 for 42 although there had also been some early assistance for the quicks as Matt Henry and Kyle Jamieson troubled India’s top order.Australia were troubled by Sri Lanka’s spinners in their two ODIs in Colombo prior to the Champions Trophy.”It changes a little bit,” Zampa said of the conditions between Pakistan and Dubai. “Potentially slower lower wickets, so there might be an opportunity to create a few more chances, we’ll see.”Zampa added he felt there was room for improvement in his own bowling after returns of 2 for 64 against England and 2 for 48 against Afghanistan.”Personally, I don’t think I’m bowling quite at my best, but I like to think the beauty about me is when I’m not quite at my best and not feeling that great out there is my ability to still contribute and take those big wickets,” he said.”I’m obviously working on some stuff at the moment to hopefully get back to my best, but as I said, the ability to still do a job for the team and get those big wickets is still there, which to me is really important.”The last time Australia faced India in an ODI was the final of the 2023 ODI World Cup. If they win this time they will return to Lahore for the final otherwise it will be staged in Dubai.
It’s full steam ahead for batters at Chelmsford with Surrey looking to stay afloat
Andrew Miller05-Apr-2025Surrey 109 for 1 (Burns 59*, Pope 45*) trail Essex 582 for 6 dec (Critchley 145*, Pepper 109) by 473 runsPick your metaphor. Essex certainly did when unveiling the Ambassador Cruise Line as their new flagship sponsor. There may be choppy waters to come later in the season, but today at Chelmsford was plain sailing for the batters, in weather that could have been shipped in direct from the Adriatic.The deck was flat enough to play quoits upon, while Matt Critchley and Michael Pepper might as well have rolled out their sunbeds while reclining into a serene fifth-wicket stand of 216.The seagulls circled, the spectators lolled. Landmarks popped up intermittently before being submerged in a ripple of recognition, like dolphins frolicking in the bow waves, as the game pressed onwards towards the horizon – to the stress-free bliss of its passengers of a certain age.And so on and so forth, for as long as this contest will last. Can life really remain this cushty for Essex, a club whose projection of pre-season confidence has manifested itself at the very first attempt?One of Ambassador’s stated aims, incidentally, is to “inspire and delight” those who come aboard – a mission statement that the club might do well to keep out of earshot of their new Tier 1 women’s team as they embark on their own voyage of a lifetime later this month.And even if stalemate seems pre-ordained on a surface that Kemar Roach believes is one of the flattest he’s bowled on in England, there’s no questioning the extent to which Essex have carried themselves into this contest against the three-times county champions. First, they ground them down across five sweltering sessions, and then limited the England past-and-present pairing of Rory Burns and Ollie Pope to a distinctly pre-Bazballian run-rate of 2.59 in their frill-free reply.Had it not been for a sitter of a life for Pope on 10 – dropped at short midwicket by Critchley, while falling across his stumps in that all-too-familiar manner – the jeopardy for Surrey could have been all the more acute at 28 for 2. And never mind the extent to which it dented Critchley’s own day, it was an especially glaring moment for the eternal nearly-man of Chelmsford, Sam Cook, who would otherwise have had two wickets in his first four overs.For Cook had already sent another ex-England man, Dom Sibley, overboard in his first over with an lbw so plumb it all but lived up to the nautical origins of that curiously pervasive term. And given the fuss that had been made in this pre-season of a certain Anglo-Aussie Dan Worrall – absent from this contest for reasons that Surrey seem oddly determined to keep to themselves – it denied Cook a real chance to thrust his own bustling fast-medium methods back to the Test narrative … not that he ever quite seems to get there, despite now closing in on 300 wickets for Essex at an average of less than 19.Reprieve done and dusted, Pope and Burns endured to the close, steadfast in their 101-run stand, unlike the vast majority of a 1383-strong crowd, who strolled off into the evening sunshine to beat the road closures on the A12, and the rail replacement buses on the Norwich-London mainline, and the other sundry weekend transport hazards that proved anything but a cruise to negotiate. Such are the reality checks sent to try a venue that increasingly believes it is part of the London cricket conversation, but remains achingly, touchingly parochial to its core.Not that you’d necessarily want that to change in a hurry, if at all. There are big plans afoot for Chelmsford’s redevelopment, to lean into those East London connections and make real capital of that new women’s set-up. But for now, the ground makes do with a new 500-seater temporary stand where a windy marquee once stood next to the pavilion, and a lick of imperial purple paint that comes with their flashy new sponsorship.Beyond such cosmetic changes, Ann’s Pantry still rules as the one-stop shop for all your burger-based needs. Tangles of ivy still cascade over the rickety wooden fence between the Felsted School Stand and the County Place housing estate at midwicket, further narrowing the one-in, one-out alleyway that proved such a health-and-safety tripwire during Covid.One other notable change, however, has been the purging of the Graham Napier Heritage Trail: previously a collection of 16 vaguely interactive placards, dotted all around the concourse to mark the destination of each of the 16 sixes that Napier launched – into the crowd, river and housing estate alike – during his epic 152 from 58 balls against Sussex, way back in 2008.The subtext is clear. Now is the time for a new generation of heroes to emerge for this county. And whether it’s a case of faking it til you make it, or a genuine belief in the resources at the team’s disposal, Chris Silverwood’s first days back in the job have leant into that remit with impressive resolve.The run-up to Surrey’s visit included two pretty critical setbacks. First there was the loss of Shardul Thakur to the IPL, and then Essex’s second high-profile import, Dean Elgar, was granted extended leave to remain back home in South Africa, where he’s dealing with his own version of double trouble as the new father of twins.And when you consider that Elgar (86 Test caps) had himself been a direct replacement for the retired Alastair Cook (a then-England record 161) then Silverwood’s faith in the Colchester-born 20-year-old debutant, Charlie Allison, to open up alongside Paul Walter (four previous first-class innings in the role, and none since 2022) was bold, to say the least.That 78-run first-day stand set the tone, and while Allison’s maiden innings of 25 from 55 balls has long since been dwarfed by a torrent of runs from both sides, the message it sends has not. This season won’t always be conducted on such cruise control – all manner of contagions can spread rapidly and without warning in such cooped-up surroundings – but there seems already to be a certainty to the club’s direction of travel. And while the sun shines, the passengers’ contentment levels will know no bounds.
Newcastle United head back into the Champions League this mid-week as the unbelievable might of Barcelona travels to St James’ Park to do battle with Eddie Howe’s Magpies.
Of course, last time the Toon found themselves deep in the illustrious competition, they did manage to upset a giant of Barca’s magnitude in Paris St. Germain on their own patch, with Dan Burn’s heroic effort culminating in a famous 4-1 triumph.
History could well repeat itself, therefore, when Hansi Flick’s La Liga outfit rock up to St James’ Park at full volume.
However, before anyone gets too carried away, Howe will have to make some decisions about his starting XI, with Harvey Barnes one player in danger of dropping out.
Barnes' early season struggles at Newcastle
While Nick Woltemade is now up and running in his new location, having just scored the decisive match-winning goal against Wolverhampton Wanderers last time out, on the other hand, Barnes is struggling to get going.
Despite starting just 17 Premier League games last season due to injuries ravaging his chances at consistent minutes, the former Leicester City ace would still manage to pick up a standout nine goals and four assists along the way.
However, despite pushing past those injury difficulties to start all four of his side’s league encounters this season, the goals and assists have unfortunately dried up, with zero goal contributions next to his name, despite creating two big chances.
For the crunch Champions League opener against Barca, Howe might now be tempted to axe Barnes completely, in favour of starting new recruit Anthony Elanga instead.
After all, Elanga – who cost a whopping £55m to win this summer – even has experience of Europe’s finest competition under his belt, with a goal in this competition coming his way from his minimal chances at Manchester United when slotting home an effort versus Atletico Madrid back in 2022.
While the short-term fix is likely to be the Swede, Newcastle also look as though they a long-term heir for Barnes up their sleeve.
Newcastle's heir to Barnes who could "go to the top"
Newcastle are known to pride itself on being a club that allows its youngsters to impress in the senior mix when the time is right.
The likes of Lewis Miley have experienced that first hand, with the 19-year-old midfield sensation never looking back after making his senior debut for the Toon in late 2023, with 49 appearances in the first team now coming his way.
Seung Soo-Park will hope he can soon follow in Miley’s footsteps in being another raw youngster who settles into the first-team environment swimmingly, having already been praised quite heavily since switching South Korea for English shores.
After all, Park did leave quite the impression on fans of his former club Suwon Bluewings, with a strike bagged back in June last year versus Ansan Greeners FC, making him the youngest ever goalscorer in the history of South Korean professional football.
This milestone even led to shouts that he was Korea’s ‘answer to Mbappe’, with a further three assists heading his way at Suwon before Newcastle gambled on the much-talked-about attacker who has already shown flashes of his fearless excellence in pre-season, based on the numbers above.
Howe must have been impressed by his efforts against Espanyol and Tottenham Hotspur as he named the rising 18-year-old star among his substitutes last time out versus Wolves, with the hope he can develop into Newcastle’s long-term answer to a stuttering Barnes if given time.
Games played
369
Goals scored
92
Assists
62
Age of PL debut
20
When looking at the table above, it’s clear that Barnes didn’t become a recognised Premier League success story overnight, with the Newcastle number 11 having to wait until he was three years older than Park to taste his first ever top-flight contest.
From that point on, however, Barnes’ development would accelerate, with the one-time Foxes youngster once noted as being “devastating” by Sky Sports when learning the ropes at the King Power Stadium, before becoming a fully fledged top-flight regular, despite some wobbles in form.
Howe and Co. will have to be patient and hope their gamble to bring Park to English shores works out, with ex-Suwon head coach Byun Sung-hwan noting that he can “go to the top.”
If Miley and other homegrown examples are anything to go by, he could well be the next off the conveyor belt to shine, with a dream possible scenario seeing Park compete with Barnes to raise the 27-year-old’s declining levels.
Howe's "best" Newcastle duo are now more important than Bruno & Tonali
Eddie Howe might now have unearthed an even better duo at Newcastle United than Bruno Guimaraes and Sandro Tonali’s midfield partnership.
Paul Pogba’s much-awaited return to football is finally getting close. Ahead Monaco's Champions League clash against Manchester City, manager Adi Hutter has revealed the midfielder could make his debut for the club after the international break. It has been over two years since the Frenchman last played a senior match.
Pogba nearing return to football after two years
The Frenchman last played in September 2023 for Juventus before being hit with a doping ban. His suspension was cut from four years to 18 months in October 2024, and after leaving Juventus later that year, he signed for Monaco on a free transfer in the summer. The 32-year-old has been training regularly with his teammates since July, but has not yet been considered match fit. The Ligue 1 club had mapped out a three-month programme when he joined in June, aiming for a return in early October, but it appears he will have to wait a bit longer for his first game back.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesPogba’s possible debut date revealed
Speaking before Monaco’s Champions League game against City, Hutter revealed that the Frenchman could possibly make his debut after the international break.
“We maybe expected him to be in the squad against Nice, but we may need to wait until Angers…. we hope that, after the international break, he can play,” said the Monaco manager.
Earlier, the Austrian coach had made it clear he would not rush the Frenchman back, emphasising that he wants to ease him in properly.
A chance for redemption for World Cup winner
The 2018 World Cup winner’s career has been hit hard by controversies. His highly publicised and strained relationship with then-United manager Jose Mourinho put him in the wrong spotlight early on in his career. Off the pitch, Pogba was dragged into many controversies, the latest was his four-year doping ban in 2023 after testing positive for testosterone, a punishment later reduced to 18 months on appeal. Now, at Monaco, Pogba has a rare chance to turn the page.
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AFPWhat's next for Monaco?
Monaco are fourth in Ligue 1 with four wins and two losses, but suffered a 4-1 defeat to Club Brugge in their Champions League opener. With injuries to captain Denis Zakaria and Ansu Fati, Pogba’s return after the break could be a major boost for Hutter’s side.
He is expected to miss Sunday's game against Nice, but the October 18 clash against Angers could see him back on the field.
It is fair to say that Celtic and their recruitment team did not enjoy the deadline day that they were hoping for at the end of the summer transfer window on Monday night.
The Hoops went into Monday wanting two wingers and two centre-forwards to bolster their squad until at least January, but they were unable to get what they wanted.
Sebastian Tounekti joined the club on a permanent deal from Hammarby to add to Brendan Rodgers’ options in the wide areas, as a player who has predominantly played on the left wing in his career to date.
However, the Scottish Premiership champions did not add a single number nine to their squad before the window slammed shut, despite allowing Adam Idah to complete an initial £6m move to EFL Championship side Swansea City.
Adam Idah in pre-season for Celtic.
The Hoops were then forced to look at the free agent market to find a replacement for the Ireland international, and Kelechi Iheanacho arrived after his contract with Sevilla was ripped up on Monday night.
Celtic had to swoop for Iheanacho, who worked with Rodgers at Leicester, because they were unable to get a deal done for Kasper Dolberg before the deadline.
Why missing out on Dolberg was a blow for Celtic
The Scottish giants were linked with an interest in the Denmark international heading into the final days of the transfer window, but they failed to agree a deal with Anderlecht, and he went on to sign for Dutch side Ajax later in the week.
Reporter Stephen McGowan has since revealed that the transfer did not happen for several reasons: the club bid too low in their first attempt to sign him, the player was not sold on Celtic, the player was not too keen on Glasgow.
However it happened, missing out on a deal for Dolberg was a blow for the Hoops because he could have arrived at Parkhead as an upgrade on Idah for Rodgers.
The Danish marksman’s form for Anderlecht in the 2024/25 campaign suggested that he would have been a terrific signing for the club, hence why they were keen to bring him in in the first place.
Appearances (starts)
31 (30)
35 (19)
xG
16.70
N/A
Goals
18
13
Conversion rate
22%
17%
Goals from outside the box
3
2
Assists
2
0
Duel success rate
50%
41%
As you can see in the table above, Dolberg scored five more goals than Idah at league level last season, with a greater conversion rate in front of goal, and performed better in his physical duels.
The 27-year-old centre-forward also scored five goals in nine games for Anderlecht at the start of the current campaign, per Transfermarkt, before he completed his permanent move to Ajax after Celtic failed to sign him.
This is why missing out on Dolberg was such a big blow for the Hoops, because the striker is in the prime years of his career and could have come in as a player who would have been ready to hit the ground running as an instant upgrade on what Rodgers previously had.
Instead, Celtic have had to take a risk signing Iheanacho on a free transfer, after the Nigeria international scored one goal in 24 league matches for Sevilla and Middlesbrough last season, per Sofascore.
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Another risky move the manager could make would be to unleash a player from the B team who could potentially emerge as his own version of Dolberg – Rhys Dargie.
Why Celtic should give Rhys Dargie a chance
Whether it is in a League Cup match or off the bench in the Scottish Premiership, Rodgers should look to present the young attacker with a chance to prove his worth at first-team level.
Celtic are clearly in a difficult position with their strikers, given that they felt the need to sign Iheanacho as a free agent after the window slammed shut, but they have a talented goalscorer in their academy set-up who may have the potential to make an impact for Rodgers.
In July, Broxburn reporter Stu Mclellan described Dargie as “some talent” after his impressive performance in a 3-2 win for Celtic’s B team against Broxburn on the opening day of the Lowland League season.
The 18-year-old starlet is a versatile talent who can play centrally or out wide. Interestingly, Dolberg played on the right wing and as a striker at U19 level for Ajax in his academy days, per Transfermarkt, and this Celtic youngster could follow in his footsteps.
Dargie has shown impressive instincts in front of goal at youth level, as evidenced by his goal in the clip above. The teenage whiz reacted brilliantly in a central position to divert the ball into the back of the net from Jude Bonnar’s effort.
Appearances
16
10
Minutes
894
707
Goals
9
4
Minutes per goal
99
176
Assists
0
3
As you can see in the table above, the Celtic B star has a very impressive goalscoring record at youth level with 13 goals in 26 games since the start of last season.
In that time frame, Dargie averaged a goal every 123 minutes. Interestingly, Dolberg also averaged a goal every 123 minutes in all competitions for Anderlecht last term, with 24 goals in 2,963 minutes, per Transfermarkt.
This suggests that Celtic have a player in their academy who has the potential to be just as prolific as Dolberg if he can translate his form over to the first-team.
Although Dargie has played a lot of his football as a right-winger, the teenage talent’s goalscoring instincts suggest that the club could get the best out of him in the centre-forward position, particularly given his impressive goal return, which is the route that Dolberg also went down in the Ajax academy.
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Therefore, Rodgers could unearth his own version of Dolberg by boldly unleashing this impressive youngster as a striker for the first-team in the coming weeks.